Survey: Californians overwhelmingly opposed to new data centers

A new survey shows that Californians really don’t like artificial intelligence data centers.

The latest Public Policy Institute of California poll of 1,578 adult Californians finds that 73% oppose the construction of data centers in their communities. Though the majority of both Democrats and Republicans disapprove of building data centers, Republicans are slightly more likely to favor them than Democrats.

It’s not just California. National polls show the same margin of people opposing data centers.

That’s going to be a challenge for the high-flying AI companies that are powering the Bay Area economy. The industry estimates it supported 665,000 California jobs and contributed billions in state and local taxes.

Opposition to data centers were the strongest among respondents in the Inland Empire and Los Angeles. Sixty-three percent also worried about the environmental effects of data centers, with the highest concern coming from San Francisco Bay Area residents.

The survey follows a recent protest in San Francisco, a citywide ban on data centers in Monterey Park and lawsuits coming out of Imperial Valley contesting a plan for one there. 

Although Californians appear united on data centers, the survey showed the cost of living and affordability is beginning to dent support for environmental regulations.

About 66% of respondents oppose Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035 — up from 49% of those surveyed in July 2021. A vast majority of Republicans oppose the ban (91%), but Democrats are split (50% in opposition).

And while 62% of participants say they support a state law mandating that electricity in California comes from renewable sources by 2045, nearly an equal percentage of Californians say the cost of energy, like gas and electric bills, is too high. Not too surprising then, that only 38% said they’re willing to cough up more money to pay for wind and solar energy. 

A new federal law requires U.S. colleges and universities to prove their graduates earn at least the median wage of someone in their state with only a high school diploma. If their students don’t, that undergraduate program could be ineligible for federal loans, writes CalMatters’ Adam Echelman.

In California, the average high school graduate is expected to earn about $18 an hour, or $36,000 a year. Roughly 90% of graduates from the nearly 3,000 California higher education programs reviewed by the U.S. Department of Education earned at least that much.

But graduates of about 300 California programs — most of which are at for-profit colleges — do not meet the requirement, particularly those in cosmetology, medical assisting, arts and theater programs. Theater and fine arts programs at 11 public universities failed, too.

Roughly 100 California fine arts, music and theater programs pass the new requirement. Many schools that failed the test have criticized the numbers as misleading.

• Angelica Muro, chairperson of the visual arts and music department at Cal State Monterey Bay: The new earnings rule “undercuts the societal benefits of critical thinking and the immense sociocultural value held within the arts.”

Read more.

Californians will choose between a Republican and a Democrat in the race for governor this fall, but that won’t be the case for a number of down-ballot contests in which voters will choose between candidates from the same party.

A group that wants voters to repeal the 2010 ballot initiative that gave California open primaries is highlighting the roster of single-party races as it gathers signatures for its own measure.

The one-party races include insurance commissioner — which pits Democrat Ben Allen against Democrat Jane Kim — as well as eight congressional districts, two state Senate districts and 10 Assembly districts.

Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger supported the ballot measure that shifted the state to open primaries in the interest of helping moderate politicians win office. This year’s crowded governor’s primary focused attention on the practice because voters from both parties at different times feared being shut out of the November election.

The group that wants to bring back closed primaries, “Undo the Top Two,” is aiming for the November 2028 ballot.

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